Approval
by Queen Emily the Diligent
Summary: Kenshin doesn't want Kenji practicing Hiten Mitsurugi, causing some anger to rise. (cover by equigolye [deviantart] who is amazing)
1. Chapter 1

**QED: I really shouldn't be doing this now, but I'm feeling some inspiration.**

**Megumi: /folding her arms and raises an eyebrow/ You're supposed to be doing homework, QED.**

**QED: Why does inspiration come when I need to do homework! Oh anyway, let me write right now. I own nothing, well, just Kaori.**

Himura Kaori smiled as she watched Yahiko-nii and Kenji-nii practice in the dojo. Kenji jumped into the air and brought his bokken down on Yahiko, causing Yahiko's bokken to fly across the floor, and Yahiko fell to a knee.

"I win," Kenji stated triumphal, the tip of his bokken at Yahiko's throat.

Yahiko shook his head, smirking. "This is not fair. You get better and better each day, Kenji-_chan_."

Kenji's face contorted in irritation. "Don't call me CHAN! I'm thirteen!" Kenji glared at his younger sister, who was laughing. "Be quiet, Kaori."

"But your face was priceless!" she giggled.

"Hey, if there's anyone to blame for teasing, that'd be your mother," Yahiko retorted. "She'd call me names when I trained under her." He smirked again. "I'm simply returning the favor."

"ON ME?" Kenji yelled.

Yahiko gave a slightly nervous laugh. "Geez, Kenji, you looked too much like your dad right there. Creepy."

"I'm not sure if I should take that as an insult or compliment, that I don't," a new voice said laughing.

The three turned to see a short, redheaded man standing in the doorway, his arms crossed in his red gi.

"Hi, Tou-san!" Kaori cried, happily, running up to Kenshin. "Yahiko-nii just got beat by Kenji-nii!"

Kenshin raised his eyebrows, slightly, turning to face his son. "Sou ka?"

"Yeah, Kenshin," Yahiko said, proudly to his mentor. "He's getting better and better. I can't keep up with him. He used the Ryu Tsui Sen perfectly."

Kenji blushed at the praise. Yahiko was his annoying "older brother," but he did search for his approval, and now he had it.

"Arigato, Yahiko," he said gratefully, bowing slightly.

"The Ryu Tsui Sen?"

Kenji gulped at his father's tone and glared at Yahiko, who cringed, remembering that Kenshin did not exactly approve Kenji learning the Hiten Mitsurugi.

Silence reigned in the dojo for a few moments, and Kaori saw the look in her father's eyes. She tugged on Kenshin's gi. "Please, don't mad, Tou-san. Kenji's really good…He…"

Kenshin placed a hand on his daughter's head, silencing her. "I'm not mad, Kaori, that I'm not." With that, he left the dojo.

CRASH! CLATTER!

Yahiko and Kaori looked to Kenji's bokken now lying by the dojo wall.

"Why? Why?" Kenji's head was bowed; his fists clenched white. "Why can't I get his approval? Everything I do; there's something wrong with it." Kenji turned and walked away from the dojo, tears leaking out of his eyes.

"Kenji –" Kaori was about go after her brother, but Yahiko stopped her, shaking his head.

"Why, Yahiko-nii? Why doesn't Tou-san wanting Kenji learning his style?" Kaori asked earnestly. "Kenji's so good at it. Every time I watch, I get to see how Tou-san might have fought, since he can't do it anymore."

"That's exactly the reason why, Kaori-chan," Yahiko answered, with a sad smile. "Kenshin sees himself in Kenji and doesn't want Kenji becoming what he was."

"But that's not why Kenji wants to learn it!" Kaori protested, tears coming to her eyes. "He wants to be like what Tou-san _is_, but not what Tou-san _was_."

"We know that, Kaori-chan," a soft voiced answered. Yahiko and Kaori looked to see Kaoru standing in the doorway, with a sad look. "But your baka of a father can't get that into his thick head," she added with a slight irritation.

Yahiko chuckled slightly at the familiar bashing of Kenshin by his wife.

Kaori was silent, looking down at the floor. Suddenly, she bit her lip in determination and ran from the dojo in such a blur, startling her mother and Yahiko.

Kaoru shook her head, smiling slightly. "Even she has that from her father. She might look like me, but I still see her father."

Yahiko nodded in agreement.

oOo

Kaori ran out of the dojo, searching for the familiar form of her father. As usual, Kenshin was kneeling before the wash bin, doing the day's laundry. She ran up to him, but stopped a few feet in trepidation.

Kenshin looked up from laundry. "Oro? Kaori? Is something wrong, is there? You have a nervous look on your face, that you do." Kaori bit her lip, shifting from one foot to another. "You don't have to be scared, that you don't. You can ask me anything, that you can."

Kaori took a deep breath. "Why did you get mad at Kenji-nii? He only wants to make you happy, Tou-san." Kenshin's face was impassive, but Kaori plowed on ahead. "He just ran out of the dojo, crying, because you…you…_Why_, Tou-san?" Tears were welling up in eyes, as she petitioned for her brother.

Kenshin turned his face from his daughter, his hands clenching. "I made him cry?"

"H…Hai…Tou-san," Kaori choked out, her throat tight.

He gritted his teeth. That was last thing he wanted to do to, least of all to his son. _I promised myself that I would fight for smiles, and here I am causing my own family to do the exact opposite._

"Please, Tou-san," Kaori begged. "Can't you let Kenji practice your and Hiko-ojii-san's style?"

As if to hide from his daughter, Kenshin hid his face under his bangs. _That's right; I forgot. My son wants to learn…my…style. But…every time I watch him…I can't help but see myself. Myself…young and impulsive…ready to jump in and…NO! Kenji won't become what I was! I won't let that happen!_

"Because I don't want him to, Kaori," Kenshin said with a clipped tone.

Kaori froze at her father's tone. It frightened her. _Is this what he sounded like when…?_ Gulping, she dared to speak further. "He's not you, Tou-san."

Kenshin froze and turned to stare at his daughter, his eyes wide. Kaori's eyes were hard and determined.

"Wha—"

"I said, 'He's not you'," Kaori repeated.

Kenshin continued to stare at his daughter, shocked at her boldness, seeing someone else standing in her place. Her mother…his wife.

"You've been spending too much with your mother, that you have," Kenshin said, then he added softly, "It's what she would say."

"Yes, anata, it's exactly what I would say," Kaoru said softly, appearing by her husband's side.

"I'm just asking that you go talk to Kenji-nii," Kaori begged. "Please, Tou-san. He just wants your approval."

Kenshin bowed his head, hiding his eyes, and Kaoru took her husband's hand, squeezing. "Your son needs you, anata."

Suddenly, Kenshin stood, startling his wife and daughter. He turned his back to them. Silence reigned for a few moments, before he said, "I'll be back, that I will." With that, Kenshin disappeared through the dojo gates to find his son.

Mother and daughter looked at each other, smiling hopefully.

oOo

About an hour later, Kaori saw her brother and father, coming through the dojo gates. They were smiling.

**I thought this would be a one-shot, but I guess I was wrong. This was to be from Kaori's perspective, so she wouldn't not know exactly what happened between Kenji and Kenshin. I had something completely different planned at first. I wanted to have something that would focus on Kaori's feelings more than Kenji's, but this story wrote itself than me coming up with it. Not that I mind. I like this one a lot.**

**Well, I have ideas for Kenshin and Kenji's discussion, so that will be the next chappie!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Next chappie! Kenshin and Kenji's talk! (if you could call it a talk)**

**I own nothing.**

Kenji sat up in the cherry trees that stood on the riverbank. He was not ready to go back yet. Not after that.

"Why?" he cried. "Why can't I make him happy? Nothing I do satisfies him! He doesn't understand anything."

"I could understand if you told me, Kenji, that I could."

Kenji frowned, turning away from his father's gaze, who looked up from the ground into Kenji's hiding place. "What are you doing here? I don't want to talk to you."

Kenshin sighed. This was going to be harder than he thought. "Look, Kenji, I'm sorry—"

Kenji dropped to the ground and yelled, "No, you're not! If you were, you'd teach me, and I wouldn't have to sneak it from Hiko-ojii-san when he visits!" He growled. "I wouldn't spend hours drilling Sano-oji and Yahiko-nii to tell me stories, so I could hear how you did it!" He turned away and kicked a non-existent rock.

Kenshin was a little peeved to hear that his master was teaching his son behind his back, but he ignored that for the moment. "Why do want to learn it so much, Kenji?" he asked softly.

Kenji froze and retorted harshly, "Why don't you want to let me learn it?"

Kenshin sighed. This was going nowhere and he was simply making things worse. He looked out at the rippling water. "Because…because…I could not stand to see my only son ending up like…me," he answered softly.

His son's face was void of emotion. "Is that the reason?" he growled. "Thanks for thinking so little of me, _Tou-san_."

At hearing the title said with contempt, Kenshin cringed. "I'm not thinking little of you, that I'm not. I simply am trying to protect you."

"Really? I'm not a child anymore, Tou-san!" Kenji cried. "I'm fourteen! You were assassinating people at that age!"

His father stiffened. "That is exactly my point, Kenji."

Kenji bowed his head, clenching his fists. "I…I just want you to…I try to make you happy, but nothing I do works! You're never proud of me! What can I do to get your approval!" His eyes were bright with tears. "Why, Tou-san? That's all I want." His voice became a whisper. "Just like you did when I was younger."

Kenshin was frozen. Is this what his son thought? Had he never shown his pride in his son? "Of course I'm proud of you," Kenshin finally said, shocked. "You're my son."

"Then why do I never see it!"

"I am proud of you, Kenji!" Kenshin felt his anger rising. "I simply do not want you practicing the Hiten Mitsurugi!"

"Why not? Just because you didn't use it right? I'm not you, Tou-san!" Kenji yelled back. "And does it matter anymore? You aren't the Battousai anymore, Tou-san!"

"There's always a chance I will go back!" Kenshin retorted.

"But you won't!" Kenji cried. "I won't let you, Tou-san! Kaa-san, Kaori, Yahiko, Sano-oji, Megumi-oba, they all need you!...I need you, Tou-san."

Kenshin stared at his son, who continued. "You used the Hiten Mitsurugi to help everyone. Even during the Bakamatsu you only wanted to help people. I…I want to do that. I want to help everyone I can see. I want to be like you, Tou-san."

His son's confession, to be honest, scared Kenshin. "Why me, Kenji?"

"Because you are my father! Who else would I want to be like? You did so much good, how can I ever amount to that? But, I want to try."

Kenji's eyes were filling with tears again, his heart raw with telling his father such things. Suddenly, he felt strong arms wrap around him, and he sobbed into Kenshin's chest. He felt like he was a small child again, when he would run to his parents to hide from a raging storm.

Kenshin held his son tightly; making sure Kenji knew he was there. "You do make me proud, Kenji," he said softly. "I could not ask for a better son. I'm so glad you understand what I never did until much later." He took a deep breath. "I will let you finish your training in my style."

Kenji's heart felt like it was bursting. He hugged his father tight. "Arigato, Tou-san. I'll make you proud."

Kenshin smiled into his son's red hair. "You already have."

**Aww. I know really angsty until the end. But I really enjoyed writing this. EAT THIS, PEOPLE WHO WROTE THE OVA! Sorry, I hate it. (How many times have I mentioned this?) **

**I really glad how this came out. I had something else planned for how Kenshin would let Kenji train, but I like how it ended up instead. Kenji shows his father he doesn't want it to be stronger, but to help people just like Kenshin did.**

**Well, let me know if you liked it!**


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